Texans tallying totals for presidential nomination vote

The counting has begun for Texas GOP leaders who are canvassing delegates and getting a final tally before the presidential nomination roll call vote at the Republican National Convention later this week.

There are 304 delegates and alternates representing the Lone Star State at the convention in Tampa — but it’s not clear how many will end up voting for presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney and how many will end up in Rep. Ron Paul’s camp.

While some of the state’s delegates were pledged to Romney from the start, others were assigned to Republican presidential contenders who have since bowed out of the race and freed their delegates to vote for other candidates this week. Still others were officially “uncommitted” from the beginning, because that was an option on the ballot at the Texas primary earlier this year.

As Texas delegates file in to the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla., to pick up credentials, programs and flag-themed button-down shirts, the unpledged delegates also are being handed a ballot to register their final choice.

Texas Republican Party Chairman Stephen Munisteri is in charge of the numbers.

While the the Lone Star State may deliver plenty of delegates to Ron Paul, he said there isn’t tension between Paul’s Texan supporters and the Romney backers in Tampa.

“We’re a very harmonious delegation,” he said, noting that Paul’s supporters were “treated with respect” at Texas’ state convention.

The nomination roll call vote typically happens on Wednesday nights at the Republican convention. This year, organizers first moved that televised tally to Monday before canceling that day’s events in anticipation of problems from tropical storm Isaac.